Inspiring a Cultural Shift in Schools

SEL from Anaheim to Asheville

Although the districts of Anaheim, CA, and Buncombe County, NC, may be 2,000 miles apart, they’re more similar than you might think. Both districts identified that students had stressors in their lives that were limiting their academic performance, creating classroom disruptions, and might hinder their long-term success. Forward-thinking educators in both districts took action to bring Second Step to their school communities, with well-planned implementations and data to support the benefits of the work. Both districts initially met some resistance from staff who saw social-emotional learning (SEL) as separate from academics or as only a counselor’s job, but now most administrators and teachers have seen the value and support teaching and reinforcing social-emotional skills every day, in every classroom.

Jason Ferrell and Sandra Renner from the Pupil Services Department of Anaheim Elementary School District discuss how their multi-year rollout of Second Step SEL was the catalyst for a districtwide cultural shift in thinking about social-emotional health. Deborah Luckett, school counselor and grant coordinator from the Buncombe County School District, discusses how the district established a link between social-emotional learning and success in their schools with Second Step.